So nice to have our girls with us for Christmas this year - our whole family together!

Luciana turned 5 on December 2nd. She got her first guitar!

Thankful for a recent trip to the beach with the Schmidt family!

Luciana loving a rare trip to the ocean

Dad with his 3 precious girls

Axel was baptized last month, fully committing his life to Jesus!

Celebrating Axel's baptism with his mom and dad

Following Aldo's successful 3rd surgery over the last couple weeks. He's had his foot and hand reconstructed, as well as skin grafts done on his elbow. Up next... lots of rehab and a new prosthetic leg!

The boys enjoyed a December visit from Mimi & Papa and Dave and Lynn Stewarts!

We seem to experience early deaths way too often here. This pic is of Luciana watching our friend Candelario get placed in his tomb. A bunch of rhinos are sitting in the background, looking on as well.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

we met candelario more than 8 years ago. it was 2009, and we were told about a family desperately in need of a home. when we met their huge family, who were all crammed into a tiny tin shack with dirt floors... we knew God wanted us to help.

what began as a new home, grew into a deep friendship. allan, candelario's youngest boy, would later join the boy's academy... and eventually give his life to Jesus, graduate, join our coaching staff at BVSA, initiate our girls soccer program (las Rinas), and become one of our best young leaders.

about 4 years ago, candelario had a tragic accident which left him paralyzed from the waist down. ever since then, we have visited as often as possible and tried to support the family with various needs. amazingly, this accident in some ways brought peace to their family. he had been an abusive alcoholic for years... and now, confined to his bed, he became a peaceful man, unable to harm the family, and eventually getting involved again in his kids and grandkids lives.

when we would visit candelario with friends from the US, he would always be so grateful for the visit. he has told us so many times how if it weren't for his "gringo friends" he would feel totally forgotten. sadly, since his accident, he says no one would ever visit him - even his own brothers.

which is why it seemed fitting that a group of friends from the states were here at the time of his passing. we spent the morning at their house, trying to cheer up all the kids... and the afternoon at the funeral. as we visited their home earlier this morning, allan's sister magda hugged me and told me in tears how grateful she was for us, the other missionary families, and all the americans who have cared for her dad over the years. she literally said, "all of you are the only ones who cared about him."

but there's someone else who cared for him as well. for the last couple years, allan has been sitting at his dad's bed reading him the bible. he also had the chance to pray with his dad shortly before his death. allan... the youngest of 9, the spiritual leader in the family.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

we are excited to say that we are very close to re-opening the Buena Vista Sports Academy of Honduras! the village of Travesia is a place desperate for Jesus, and we are anxious to be back.

we believe in our BVSA model! we have seen countless lives changed, generational sins broken, and an entire village impacted. and we are committed to planting more BVSA academies in tough places around the world.

BVSA Missionary Training Program
we have spent the last several months in an intensive missionary training program with our honduras missionaries. we strategically divided the training into 2 parts:

1) Missionary Life Training: The Great Commission, What to Expect in the Mission Field, Language and Immersion, Financial Integrity, the Impact of Missions on the Family, Crossing Cultures, When Helping Hurts, Safety & Security, and more.

Goers and Senders
we have the "goers" all set to oversee the honduras academy. its a great group of missionaries - follow these links to read more about jason, axel, and the foster family. Jesus said "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly for the Lord to send out laborers in his harvest."

we are thankful for our laborers who have left home, jobs, family, conveniences and comforts for the sake of taking the name of Jesus to the nations! now we're praying for more "senders" to get behind our "goers"!Start-up costs
we need to raise approximately $30,000 to get the academy where it needs to be before opening. this funding will finish our on-site soccer field and facilities, as well as purchase some basic needs such as a washer/dryer, large freezer, and some basics to get our weight-room started.

Ongoing costs
we are praying for a team of monthly supporters to help cover our approximate $3,000 per month operational budget. this budget includes staff salaries, the daily feeding program (approximately 800 lunches per month!), and all monthly bills and operational expenses.

i read this recently in randy alcorn's book titled "money, possessions, & eternity":

“The need is desperate. Isn’t it time we emptied our pockets to help reach the world for Christ? Like those who pray, those who give are partners with those who go (colossians 4:2-4; Philippians 1:4-5). Some can go. All can pray. All can give. Will you?

As you consider your answer, imagine for a moment the warm voice of someone from a different culture - perhaps with a different color of skin - coming to you in heaven, embracing you and whispering, “thank you - you brought us the gospel, and that is all that matters.”

what a thought, right?! would you consider partnering with us? if God leads you, please click here. and you can always contact me directly by using the email link on the same page.

lets finish the mission by working together in taking the name of Jesus to the nations! Matthew 24:14

Friday, November 24, 2017

earlier this week, i sent out an email to just a few people about aldo. after visits and advice from friends - a prosthetic doctor and physical therapist - it was clear that aldo needs several surgeries in order to get serious about rehabbing and adjusting to life with one leg and one arm.

but after constant attempts through the public hospital to get help, it was clear that aldo was getting ignored. with time working against us, we finally made the decision to go the private medicine route.

within a couple hours of sending out my email, the funding for all 3 necessary surgeries was fully covered! within days, we were able to get aldo in for the surgeries on his good foot (which was turning outward) and his good elbow (which has had bone exposed ever since the accident in may).

aldo is recuperating and will soon go in for surgery on his hand. as he recovers from these surgeries, he will be able to begin rehabbing more seriously and get to work at becoming an independent young man again!

matthew 25:40: the king will answer them, "truly i say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

Monday, November 6, 2017

mash and nicho continue to exceed expectations. i couldn't be prouder of them.

i walked into their room last night and they were both on the couch, messing with their phones. i immediately started giving them a hard time. (we make a specific effort to stay un-addicted to smart phones in our house.)

in unison, they responded defensively, promising me that they weren't on social media or playing games. i grabbed their phones, and to my surprise - they were on their bible apps.

they went on to tell me that they were going on a "double date" the next day to antigua. turns out mash is "a little bit" interested in nicho's girlfriend's cousin...

they explained that their plan is to hike up to the cross in antigua, a famous antigua landmark. once at the top, they are going to sit on the mountain and "explain to the girls the significance of the cross, just like you taught us when we went on the rhino excursion."

i told them how great of an idea that is, and answered a couple of their questions about verses they were looking for... then walked out of the room holding back my tears! i guess it was one of those sweet moments where an impromptu, real-life example touches your heart.

these two guys have been growing like crazy during this year's leadership program in our house. spiritually speaking, they have fallen in love with Jesus, and are sharing him with friends and family members. not only that, but they are both pure servants. they jump to help at every opportunity. they are as loyal as can be. they are learning how to manage the academy. they are protective of luci and even kerrie.

they are simply turning into great young men.

i'm reminded of when the Lord sent samuel to jesse's house, to pick the next king of israel. jesse lined up all of his boys - big, strong, charismatic, and full of "king potential." but after examining them all, samuel said, "is this all you've got?"

jesse replied (paraphrase) "well, there's david... he's out taking care of the sheep... but he's just a little runt." samuel had them bring david to him, and after seeing him immediately anointed him as king.

mash and nicho are like david. i never would have predicted how they've risen to the top. others in the leadership program are much smarter, more outgoing and more charismatic (and are still here, and doing well.) but nicho and mash are the most consistent. they don't complain or ride their emotions. they are always in a good mood. they work hard, and will do absolutely anything for you.

as samuel was choosing the next king, the Lord told him "do not look at his appearance, or his height, or his stature... for the Lord sees not as a man sees: man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

when i look at mash and nicho's outward appearances, i see a couple of little runts! but when i look at their hearts, i see something big, bold, and beautiful.

Monday, October 30, 2017

a couple days ago, our next door neighbor was murdered. shot 10-12 times for refusing to pay on an extortion attempt. he was driving home from work (in a pickup, full of people in the back) when a motorcycle drove up beside his window and unloaded.

his wife, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was also hit and is now in critical condition. the truck wrecked and many of the people in the back were thrown and injured - thankfully none died.

this type of thing has been relatively commonplace over our last 9+ years living as missionaries in guatemala.

i'll never forget our kid's first week of school after our move in 2008. a father of one of brooke's classmates was kidnapped while shopping at a hardware store that we had just shopped in that very week. when we arrived to pick up the kid's from school that day, it was locked down and police were everywhere.

can you imagine how we felt? it was our first week on the ground...

these are only 2 examples - one from our first week here, and one from just a couple days ago.

it puts in perspective something fantastic that i read recently. maybe one of the best things i've ever read on missions. here's an excerpt from john piper's article titled "rick your kids for the kingdom", dated october 23, 2017:

Should a Christian couple take their children into danger as part of their mission to take the gospel to the world? Short answer: Yes.

Why? Because the cause is worth the risk, and the children are more likely to become Christ-exalting, comfort-renouncing, misery-lessening exiles and sojourners in this way, than by being protected from risk in the safety of this world.

When Paul said that "anyone who does not provide for... his household has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8), he was talking about world-idolizing slackers, not self-denying emissaries of Christ. But even that observation is not the main point.

The question raised by this text, and many others, is this: What is the greatest good you can do for your children? What does a real, countercultural, Christian ambassador and exile from heaven think when he is told, "Provide for your household"? Provide what? Culture-conforming comforts and security? Really?

I don't think so. He is thinking, How can I breed a radical, risk-taking envoy of King Jesus? How can I raise a dolphin cutting through schools of sharks, rather than a bloated jellyfish full of plankton floating into the mouth of a whale called the world? How can I raise offspring who hear Jesus say, "The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" (Luke 9:58) and respond, "Let's go"?

Perhaps we lose too many of our children because they weren't trained as kingdom soldiers. Maybe we train them in comfort and security, and now they won't leave it.

You can read the entire article here. For us serving as missionaries, this is one of those reads that - as my wife put it - "ignites our soul." it speaks well towards the "worth the risk" factor that many of us fully believe in, but find hard to articulate.

i was asked recently why i would move my family to a place like guatemala or even somewhere like iraq. my simple response was "how could i not?". people are dying without knowing Jesus. Jesus commanded us to take the good news of hope, love, peace, forgiveness, and salvation to all the nations. and there are still entire nations and entire people groups that don't know. how could we not go? how can we not send? how do we just live our comfortable lives?

we didn't go into missions so that our kids could be raised differently, get a different perspective and form different priorities. we went into missions because God called us through his Word to missions, and we just obeyed.

but i do agree fully with the reference from the article above. i can't begin to describe all of the challenges, danger, risks, adventures and incidents my kids have experienced in the mission field. and i am beyond thankful for who they have become in the process.

i wouldn't trade it for the world... and i do believe that they are now young adults that, when they hear Jesus say "are you sure you want to follow me, because i don't even have a place to lay my head?", they will undoubtedly say "let's go."

Thursday, October 12, 2017

last week, the fosters arrived on one-way tickets. they'll spend the next 3 months with us in guatemala, then relocate to honduras early next year with jason and axel. the next 90 days in guatemala will include an intense missionary training program, 3 hours per day of language school, and lots of rhino futbol for their 2 boys!

something has really struck me being around their family. its that their boys are the exact same ages that my kids were when we arrived in the mission field in 2008. jake had just turned 7, brooke was 10, and madi was 11. in the foster's case, jackson is 7 and alek is 10.

jackson has had a couple tough moments since getting here last week. nothing crazy, just normal stuff. its not easy on a kid to leave his friends and family, switch culture's overnight, and have his world turned completely upside down.

--------------------

because of the age comparison, i'm going to use jackson (who is currently 7) and jake (who was 7 when we moved to guatemala) as examples in this post. i could substitute alek, brooke, or madi's names just as easily (i am so proud of my girls)... or any young kid who is either moving to the mission field, or who grew up in the mission field!

my letter of encouragement to jackson, and any other kid who follows mom and dad to the mission field.

brooke, madi, & jake - august, 2008 - first week in guatemala

dear jackson:

over 9 years ago, my son jake was you.

one day, he was surrounded by family and friends in his comfortable suburban home where he had grown up. the next day, he woke up in a crazy new place, where no one looked like him or even talked like him. it was dirty, chaotic, and strange...

his house "back home" was sweet - complete with carpet and air conditioning! it had a big TV that played american shows in english. the neighborhood was safe, clean, and even had sidewalks! just a short jaunt through the community led to a beautiful swimming pool, basketball courts, and a pristine soccer field. there was an ice-cream place, a pizza place, a publix, and just about everything else you could ask for... right around the corner! and best of all - mimi, papa, aunts, uncles, and cousins all lived just minutes away.

jake knows exactly how you feel, buddy.

when he was 7, we landed in guatemala without a clue what we were doing. he didn't speak one word of spanish, and didn't know anybody. we were wanderers. strangers in a foreign land.

within a few months, jake was thrown into a local school where nobody spoke english. his crazy parents dropped him and his sisters off every day at 7:30am and didn't come back until 2:30pm! everyone in his class laughed at him and made fun of him. back in the states, he was the coolest and funniest. but here, he felt like a total outcast.

when his teacher made him read out loud, everyone laughed. when he had to ask a question (like "can i please go to the bathroom?"), he would usually pronounce something wrong- and everyone would make fun of him. one time, for weeks in a row, a kid kept telling him he was going to beat him up after school - just because he was a "gringo."

sometimes jake would come home and cry. one time, he said "i don't understand a single word they say. i feel like all i hear is the sound of bees buzzing... all day long."

but his parents kept telling him about Jesus. they showed him how Jesus was made fun of, laughed at, spit on, and ridiculed. they showed jake in the bible where it says that if we want to be a follower of Jesus, we too have to be willing to be suffer and be made fun of.

God began to show jake that He had sent his son Jesus to earth to help people, but even those people didn't realize it. they didn't think they needed help. and that's why they were mean. so jake was able to see that his job, even as a kid, was to be like Jesus. he realized that the mean people need Jesus too... and if he would love them, and have faith, Jesus could change their hearts!

jake also learned to laugh at himself. he learned how to replace pride (that doesn't like to be made fun of or laughed at) - with humility (that doesn't care if people laugh at you!). he learned how to be nice to someone who had previously treated him like a total jerk. he also learned how to spot others who were being made fun of - and be kind to them, encourage them, and become their friends.

another really cool thing that happened is God showed jake that not everybody in the world has an x-box, an iPhone, or even plenty of food. he began to not really care about those things, God started shaping him into a new person. he started caring more about helping people than he did about having new stuff for himself.

soon jake learned spanish - even faster (and better) than his parents! over time, he started to fit in and feel more comfortable. he got bigger and stronger and became the best soccer player around. but it wasn't his soccer skills that made jake special. it was his love. jake had learned to love Jesus more than anything. and because of that, he learned how to love the people.

he even loved those who were mean to him. to be honest, jake began to even teach me (his dad!) that very truth. one time, i was upset that a kid was being a bully to jake, and i tried to give him some advice. i told jake to stand up for himself by saying sometime mean back to the kid - out loud so that the rest of the class would hear it. jake replied "thats pretty funny dad... but i think i'll just try to be nice to him and see if he changes."

wow! i was embarrassed! but at the same time, i was very proud of who my son was becoming.

jackson, here's the best part.

jake now realizes that all of those "blessings" he had back in the american suburbs... they were actually hindering him from knowing Jesus. the luxuries (toys, games, electronics, etc), safety, security, and comforts - were actually preventing him from experiencing Jesus.

the challenges associated with changing cultures, facing persecution, and being surrounded by poverty, diversity, and insecurity... led jake straight to Jesus! and today, as a young man, Jesus is his everything. jake is not perfect, and (trust me!) he makes plenty of mistakes. but God used his life in the mission field to humble his heart, simplify his life, give him a new perspective, and mold him into who he is.

jake recently received a scholarship to go play college soccer in the USA. in 9 months, he'll leave his life in guatemala behind (the only life he really knows), and return to the country where he was born. its a culture he doesn't know anymore. his memories there have become faint, and his experiences there have been defined by 1-week visits.

he's nervous! he doesn't like to read and write in english anymore, and sometimes gets uncomfortable around americans because he doesn't understand some of their phrases and jokes.

jake and jackson - oct 2017

but i know he will shine bright. and not because he's handsome, funny, athletic, and charming. he'll shine bright because he has learned how to hear Jesus' voice and obey it. he will shine bright because he wants people to know Jesus. he will shine bright because he learned how to love Jesus, and how to love all people, with his whole heart.

jake will be the "different one" again. people will probably laugh at him. but he won't care this time. he will probably embrace it and enjoy it! he will live totally different than his teammates. he will love people differently, and he'll share openly about his faith. he won't care if you are black, white, latino, or asian. or even christian, muslim, buddhist, or atheist. he has learned to see all people as people. people who cry, laugh, and hurt. people who need a savior.

i can promise you this... jake doesn't regret his move to the mission field one bit! he even realizes that he didn't just "follow mom and dad to the mission field." today, he sees that God put him there with great purpose. and in fact, he credits growing up in the mission field for the person he is today.

so when you're having a bad day, frustrated and angry... remember jake!
when they are all laughing at you... remember jake!

when you're mad at your parents and just want to go home... remember jake!

and when you remember jake, may you be reminded of God's faithfulness, and be filled up with the unconditional love of Jesus.

oh... and if on any given day you just need some encouragement or advice, don't hesitate to call jake. i know he would stop everything to take your call :)

Thursday, October 5, 2017

this past saturday marked a very special highlight in my life. i had the privilege of marrying one of
our rhino graduates, allan marroquin, in the gym at bvsa.

allan walked into the academy the first day that our doors opened in 2011. he was a little punk! and even though he was 13 at the time, he looked like an 8 year old. he was an angry little fella - not to mention rude and mean.

a couple weeks ago, we had some visitors here at BVSA. when one of them asked allan why he wanted to get married in the academy, he told them, "this is where i learned about Jesus. it's also where i learned to be a husband, so this is where i want to start being one."

adding to the symbolism of the day... allan's wife glendy grew up in our friends' (the schmidts) ministry - educate BV. as we were teaching allan about Jesus over the years, glendy was learning about Him as well, right down the street.

all of this is what made the day was so special. it was a symbol of a new generation of men in our village. a new generation of dads and husbands and men who love Jesus. a new generation of marriages centered on Jesus, and willing to do things differently.

to put it simply, this is why BVSA exists! what a joy it was to host a rhino wedding.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

what an amazing experience to finally have Aldo rejoin us in the academy.

it was only 4 months ago when Aldo lost an arm and a leg in a tragic accident - an event that truly rocked our Rhino family and our entire village. but through it all we've seen God do some incredible things. he has brought Aldo's family closer together, brought much love and support their way from friends all over the world, and allowed an entire village to witness the love a father has for his son.

the love of a father is not a common experience in our village.

which is why it was such a blessing to have Aldo and his dad Leonardo join us for some home games this week, and even stay for a BBQ afterwards with all the Rhinos. Leonardo even brought 50 pieces of corn from his own land for all of us as a gift! it was a great night of laughs, worship, and prayer.

please continue to pray for Aldo. he has another surgery scheduled in the next couple weeks on his right hand. and we are waiting for his amputated leg to heal a little bot more before we start getting him up on his new prosthetic leg.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

we are excited to announce the arrival of the foster family to the BVSA team! jeremy and maria, and their 2 boys alek and jackson, come from their faith communities of trinity fitness and crosswater church in jacksonville, FL.

the long version of this story is so good.... but i'm going to simplify it here. come see us in guatemala or honduras, and we'll give you the long version over a cup of leiva's coffee :)

HOUSE IN BOXES

earlier this year, almost immediately after the unfortunate circumstances that transpired at our academy in honduras, i received a call from a close friend. anthony widener, who worked with us in guatemala for a year with his wife denea, was trying to catch his breath and was notably excited.

he proceeded to tell me that he and his wife had just left the home of some friends of theirs, the fosters. they were packing their house and all of their belongings were in boxes. when anthony asked what was up, the foster's simply replied "God told us to sell our house and pack up our things - he's going to call us to something else and he wants us to be ready." they continued to explain that they were temporarily moving in with friends until God gave further instructions.

i knew i liked these peeps already!

just a couple of days earlier, i had gone to visit my friend cesar. (if you don't already know who cesar is, read my post from a few days ago.) i had gone to cesar's house to fill him in on what had happened in honduras. i was sad and kind of emotional as i explained it all. with tears in his eyes but a smile on his face, cesar clinched his right hand (the only part of his body he can still move), and said with conviction, "brock, i am so sorry, and i will be praying for their family. but remember, God is the one who started a church in travesia, honduras, and he did so because travesia needs Jesus! no human sin is capable of taking down his church, or stopping his plans. lets start praying NOW for the people who God will send to travesia. the rhinos there need their church. lets pray!"

he then prayed - in a way that only cesar can do - for God to bring new missionaries to travesia. his prayers came across as strangely confident that God had already called someone. even though we had come to cesar's house dreading having to share the sad news, mynor and i walked out of his house excited and full of energy. (kind of par for the course after a visit with cesar!)

so here we were, two days later, and anthony was telling me the story of the fosters packing their bags, selling their home, and moving in with friends, because they "heard God tell them to be ready." they hadn't known about honduras. had never heard of the village of travesia!

THE VISIT

if i've learned anything over the years, its not to mess around when God speaks that clearly! so only a matter of weeks later, we picked up the fosters at the guatemala airport. they were wide-eyed and maybe a little naive. but they were humble and willing. and they had come.

the next morning around 4:00AM we left guatemala for honduras. the long, difficult drive was actually a great time to get to know each other. of course, for me, mynor, jason, and axel, we have done this trip over a dozen times. so when we arrived in travesia there was nothing new or spectacular. but for the foster's, i'm sure their hearts were racing.

we spent the first day cleaning the property. the grass and weeds were like a jungle, and the house was filthy. it was a long, arduous, sweaty day - especially considering the 8 hour drive to start it off! after dinner, we were all exhausted and sitting around the kitchen table, when i asked jeremy and maria how they were feeling. without hesitating, maria responded, "i'm sorry but I don't feel good here. this place seems dark. i just don't feel it. this place has a bad vibe." i was a little taken aback by her directness, but at the same time appreciated the honesty.

i decided to not only acknowledge her observation, but to reinforce it. i shared with them about the darkness in the village, and the stronghold that the enemy has in travesia. i told them that anyone who is willing to move here to work in this academy better be called by God, because its going to be a brutal job. without a clear calling - and dependance on the power of the holy spirit - no human strength would be capable of drumming up the endurance to see it through.

thats how the night ended. it felt like wind that had been pushing the sails over the last weeks had subsided, and left behind a disappointing stillness. even the excitement that started this trip had been swallowed up by the "dark vibe."

NEW MERCIES EVERY MORNING (Lamentations 3:22-23)

the next morning we were taking a needed break from cutting the grass. me, mynor, jason, jeremy, and our local travesia friends peter and milton, were looking out over the field that separates the house from the academy. i mentioned how i always wanted to cut down the massive tree that sits right in the middle of the property. even though it's beautiful, i always felt that removing it would open up so many possibilities for soccer training. without it, the property basically accommodates a full soccer field.

i explained how the previous missionaries had insisted on keeping it. they had told me that the locals considered it a sin to cut down that class of tree, and they felt it was best to not upset the culture. but peter and milton said that they had never heard that before, and that there is no issue whatsoever with cutting down trees.

i asked peter what it would take to cut it down, and he responded, "one phone call." i then gave him the go ahead to call his friend... and one hour later we all stood watching the massive tree fall to the ground. it was quite surreal.

later that day we got together on the back porch to pray. we were all praying over the village of travesia, the potential calling over the foster family, and the future Rhinos.

then maria began to pray. she kept talking about the tree. she told God that as she watched that tree fall down, she felt like it represented something powerful. she prayed, "God just like that tree that came down - i ask that you would take down the bondage over this place. take this darkness and dig out by the roots, just like that tree."

THE MESSENGER

as we were still praying, milton came to the patio and got my attention. wondering why he would interrupt us, i went to see what he needed, thinking it must be an emergency. he told me he was sorry, but a very influential man in the community was at the door and asking to speak with us. he said this is one of the community leaders, highly respected, and he felt we shouldn't keep him waiting...

we wrapped up our prayer about five minutes later and went out to speak with the man. me, mynor, jason, axel, jeremy and milton were there. here's my recollection of what he said:

"hi my name is marcio, and i just wanted to come by to tell you something. we know that the previous family is no longer here. we don't know exactly what happened, and that doesn't matter now. but i was so excited to see some activity on the property today. and when i saw that big tree come down, i knew i had to come speak with you."

we immediately felt Gods presence! he continued...

"i want you to know that there may be a lot of people in this village that are against you. but i am not one of them. i am with you. i am for you. you see, there are evil demons in this community and they have been here for generations. they are deeply rooted beneath the surface, just like the roots of that tree. and just like that tree was dug out, these demons need to be dug out."

we immediately froze in the presence of the holy spirit. i was in shock.

he looked around at all of us and said, "but digging them out wont be easy - they've been here for generations! so we're going to need your help." then, he made eye contact with jeremy. looking directly at him, and pointing at him, he switched to english, and said "we need YOU".

it was so clear and direct, it almost felt impossible. like maybe it was a dream?

then marcio switched back to spanish and said "that's all I came to say." he shook all of our hands and gave some general departure niceties. then he shook jeremy's hand, switched to english again, and said "i really hope to see you here soon."

if it were written in the sky it would have been less clear. it was an amazing and outrageous example of God's faithfulness. when we step out in faith and obey our Father, he shows us the way. the more radical our obedience, the more clearly he speaks.

and thats exactly what was happening with the fosters. God had told them to sell their home, pack up all their gear, move in with friends, and be ready. instead of talking themselves out of it, convincing themselves of a more responsible alternative - they just did it. and their obedience unlocked the blessing of hearing God's voice in a truly miraculous way.

when this happens, our faith in God increases tenfold. we see Him as a keeper of his promises. we long for more of Him. we become willing to follow Him anywhere!

later on, i was thinking about how there were 3 americans standing there with marcio - yet he knew jeremy was the only one who didn't speak spanish? why were his words to jeremy so specific and direct? as if the exact reference to the tree, the roots being dug out, wasn't enough!

the only explanation, is that God had sent the fosters a messenger.

OBEDIENCE

i remember telling my wife as i laid in bed that night, "how could they possibly say no after that?! now its just a question of obedience."

a couple days later we were back in guatemala, hanging out together. we were talking about our expectations for BVSA missionaries, and i was of course talking in hypotheticals, i.e., "if you were to come, blah, blah, blah...." maria finally said, "brock you can stop saying that. how can we not come after what happened with marcio!"

BVSA honduras team: jason, jeremy, axel, and maria

since then, things have been moving fast! the fosters have announced their plans to friends and family, shared with their church communities of trinity and crosswater, resigned from the current jobs, and booked one-way tickets for october 4th!

they will be spending oct-dec in a missionary training program with us at BVSA guatemala, and if God allows, we'll be re-opening BVSA honduras in early 2018.

the widener's, who have been spiritual mentors to the fosters over the years, describe them as humble and teachable. knowing that God has used people like that throughout history, we're confident they'll be a great fit for us at BVSA!

you can read more about the foster's HERE, and learn how to support their family and/or the honduras academy.

please praise God with us, and join us in welcoming the foster's to the Rhino family!

Monday, September 11, 2017

i've blogged before, and been honest with anyone who has ever asked me, how i feel about social media.

i believe it can be a bottomless pit of self-love, self-gratification, and need for other's approval. it can also be a fantasy world that allows you to be somebody you wish you really were. for many, its an addiction that consumes every free second of their life. (hint: if you hate sitting on the toilet without your phone, you might have a problem.)

so why in the world are we announcing a social media page for the BVSA Rhinos?

good question!

i've been convinced by some people i respect, that a social media outlet for BVSA would:

1- help keep the Rhino family of supporters and prayer-warriors better connected.

2- publicly celebrate all that God is doing through the Rhinos and the BVSA missionaries.

3- help towards keeping stories of God, faith, love, miracles, and hope, front-and-center in the world of social media.

simply put, i was convinced that more frequent "pings" that point to God's work through BVSA and the lives of the Rhinos can lead to healthier relationships with our supporters... more prayers and support for the boys, missionaries, and academies... and most importantly, more glory given to God!

Saturday, September 9, 2017

that phrase gets repeated so much at birthdays in our village that it basically loses its meaning. it simply means "we thank God for one more year of life." at birthday parties where several people stand up to speak, the phrase literally gets repeated by every single person.

it just comes across as meaningless to me when you hear it over and over again.

with one exception: when it's cesar's birthday!

for cesar, "one more year of life" is truly something to celebrate. "one more year of life" is nothing short of miraculous.

this man continues to defy the odds and astonish doctors. by the world's standards (even top medical experts), the last 10+ years are a pure mystery. how can this man continue living - year after year - if his spine has fused completely together and all of his bodily systems have shut down?

only God gives and takes life. even though every one of cesar's breaths is a medical miracle, God is keeping cesar alive for his purposes. cesar shines God's glory like no one i've ever met before.

if christians are like tools in God's toolbox, cesar must be the old faithful tool that works every time.

if we're plays in God's playbook, cesar must be his go-to play at clutch time.

the man is truly amazing.

last month we were visiting cesar with some friends who were visiting from jacksonville. one of the visitors mentioned to cesar that he had been reading colossians, and asked cesar what his favorite passage in colossians was. cesar replied "probably chapter 2"... and proceeded to recite the entire chapter with fire and passion!

last week at his birthday party, the boys who were with us were telling cesar that we are studying psalm 91 together. cesar shared with them how much psalm 91 has meant to him over the years, and with great emotion recited the entire psalm!

i can't even tell you how many times this has happened over the years...

cesar garcia is truly a man after God's heart. more in tune with the holy spirit than anyone i have ever met or ever even heard of.

prays differently than anyone i've ever known.

sings more beautifully and honestly than anyone i've ever known.

loves more deeply than anyone i've ever known.

and despite being paralyzed from the neck down for the last 12 years, he is more alive than anyone i've ever known.

in cesar's case, "gracias a Dios por un año mas de vida" is certainly no routine birthday phrase. for cesar, and everyone who knows him, "one more year of life" is truly a blessing beyond measure.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

read an article today that was too good not to share. you can read it here on Desiring God, or just keep reading below...

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The Monumental Problem

By Greg Morse

We all wish we could have been there. To sit on Rosa’s bus. To listen to Martin’s dream. To rally with Churchill against the Third Reich. To go to war with the women’s suffrage movement.

We imagine our voices, however small, being engulfed in the sweet harmony of the generations that sang, “Let Freedom Ring!” Our immaculate selves (the ones that we can imagine being in those eras) are so unflinching, so outspoken, so courageous. They are men and women of conviction who have no choice but to be set ablaze by the sparks of oppression and injustice.

Yet, we do not live in those days, we are bound to our own. We do not face their horrors, we face ours. We are not there, we are here.

With the advent of social media, it is easier than ever to scold the dead for personal gain. Few things are simpler than to opportunistically spit on the graves of others to shine our own social standing.

It is easier to cry for Robert E. Lee to fall and for Confederate flags to burn (and gain a following in the process) than to decry the politically incorrect evils that are celebrated by our culture. It is easier to join the masses than to stand alone. When the need of the hour requires one to expose their back to the hose of public opinion, the masses take their signs and go home.

Historically, speaking against the spirit of the age has social costs. Past struggles were just that, struggles. Real courage and conviction were required. What was vital to them in their time is now needed of us in ours. The racial monument that must come down in our day is heavier than stone and threatens those who cannot protest. Removing it will involve more sacrifice than hashtag activism.

Throwing Stones, August 2017

Many are throwing stones. This is not an indictment against all who would do so, because some stones need to be thrown at ideological wolves.

When confronted with the historic enshrinement of Southerners who stood for causes that, among other things, furthered injustice, inequality, and oppression, many grab for smooth stones to hurl at the giant. And this uncircumcised Philistine of racism openly defies the image of God on display in all of Adam’s children. There are not enough voices in America to cry out against racial supremacy.

But when we consider the elephant in the room, the one who will throw stones back, the one who will reprimand us for our lack of political correctness, the one who, if you fight against her, will lose you Facebook friends and followers on Twitter, we too often opt for silence. We tend toward activism only when it is trending.

But the world needs a diverse people who stand side by side with one another while holding the book, decrying popular — and unpopular — evils, and pointing to the most popular — and unpopular — figure the world has ever seen: Jesus Christ.

Take This Monument Down

Without further ado, the monument that must come down is the one hoisted by Margaret Sanger years ago: abortion.

I used to roll my eyes when someone would post articles about abortion. As a black man, it seemed like a distant problem from me and the community. Then it wasn’t.

I remember feeling asphyxiated as I read and studied. The institution has millions and millions of racial skeletons in its closet. When Satan’s spell is finally broken, the abortion clinic will be held in the same infamy as lynching ropes, metal shackles, and slave ships. If not in this life, then most certainly in the next.

The blindness staggers. Cries of racism can be heard at every turn and yet a great silence ensues concerning a multimillion dollar company (Planned Parenthood) capitalizing off of dead black babies? Hmm . . .

It has roots in a racist eugenics program called The Negro Project, check. Sanger desired to limit the population of the “feeble minded” and spoke at a KKK rally, check. Most abortion clinics are in disenfranchised, minority communities, check.

And new minority skeletons are added every day.

Around 950 black children — each with ten fingers and ten toes — are devoured every single day. Forty every hour. Villainous men in hoods — or now without hoods — cannot accomplish the level of carnage that men in white coats inflict daily. No days off. No relenting in this evil institution. This historic relic, this monument to racial supremacy and eugenics, needs to fall.

And we must call for it to fall. We detest racial supremacy in all forms — especially against the most vulnerable minority population on the planet. Our Facebook statuses cannot be filled with tons of outrage over a group of whites hating blacks in Charlottesville, while never saying anything about the abortion clinic down the street that dismembers minority children.

As Ismael Hernandez rightfully said, “Past racists snatched black babies from their mother’s arms and sold them into slavery. Today they snatch them from their mother’s womb and throw them in the garbage.”

If, knowing the inconvenient truth about abortion, we bury our heads in the sand and pretend the lion isn’t devouring our children, God calls us weak and holds us accountable. Proverbs 24:10–12,

If you faint in the day of adversity,your strength is small.Rescue those who are being taken away to death;hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,and will he not repay man according to his work?

The day of adversity is here — not the yesterday of adversity. We can’t fight their battles, but we can fight our own. We all know what is going on. He who watches our souls knows we know it, and he will hold us accountable.

This Little Light of Mine

Christians should never have to stand alone against wickedness in culture. They stand as one people.

I pray for the day when the church in the West will mobilize. I pray for the day when those who love God and know his word lead movements of righteousness. A day when jumping on the bandwagon of secular movements will be over, and Christians will stand on their own two feet before the world’s evils and call all men everywhere to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

A day when the gospel cannot be mistaken for “pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities,” caring only about the soul without regard to the body. A day when people of the text will not survey Twitter feeds to know which evil is okay to fight, but will unleash God’s word amidst Adam’s fallen children who swim in racism, prejudice, and selfishness, passing their days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 3:3).

A day when the people of God will share Facebook posts denouncing the culture’s darling evils and extend the hope of the gospel to them afterwards. A day when we will stop hijacking the deep wickedness of our day to post things about it to prop up our own righteousness before our virtual friends, rather than bringing the ax of God’s word to bear that men might bow before the cross.

And the good news is that the church is the body of Christ. His kingdom is spreading and universal righteousness is racing towards us. A day is coming when swamps of bigotry and murder will be flooded with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

With two eyes set fully upon that coming day, the glorious King of that day, courageously speak, act, and love as his ambassadors, for we are his body.